Knights in Slaying Service
by tohonomike
Summary: Turns out, Xander's real dad is a famous rock star that knows all about fighting evil all night and partying every day.
1. Chapter 1

Knights in Slaying Service Author: Tohonomike Disclaimer: All characters belong to their rightful owners. Joss/ME characters especially not mine. I do not and cannot make money off of this, but for feedback, I might come up with something more/better. 

**_Someone came up with a Xander dressing as Gene Simmons of KISS Halloween Story a while back, and knowing how popular KISS had seemed in Japan in the past, I'd thought I'd lightly parallel somebody's "Xander gets training in Japan" challenge in the XanderZone, I'd outlined a few pieces wherein Xander's father was Gene Simmons and took him to Japan for training. So when a recent 'Gene as Dad' story came out, I dusted this off and decided to churn out a few episodes. I hope the two story writers particularly like it, as well as the rest of you._**

**September 1997, The Night Just Before School Starts.**

Xander and Willow had just come from the ice cream parlor, and were starting to discuss the young man's meeting his father and spending time outside of Sunnydale when a vampire lunged at them. Unlike his normal self, the teen reaches into his jacket and leaps in front of Willow. The vampire snarls and charges, Xander waves his hand forward, throwing the ice cream cone into the face of the onrushing vampire to distract it. The vampire growls as he moves to avoid the unknown object, and is about to collide into the annoying teen, noticing a pain in the chest as his shoulder hits…and as he turns to dust.

Xander falls back to the ground, wincing at the dust, and feeling a little sore from the encounter. Willow lunges at him herself, and to both their surprises grabs his face and kisses him deeply. Xander stands there stunned but not breaking away as she finally blushes deeply and stops, pulling away.

"You're welcome, Wills…" Xander replies, "And while I'm not sure about this, I'm going to have to think about it before I have a response."

"As long as you don't respond to her like you did that vamp, she'll probably be okay," a female voice joked from behind them. They turned to see Buffy standing there in mild shock at both things she'd just viewed, "Hey guys, miss me?" They were about to reply when they looked across the street to see four men a little older than Giles get out of a black sedan and tear into three men pushing around a young couple. Buffy tensed and was about to race across the street when the foreheads morphed and the three turned into vampires, but Xander placed a hand on her shoulder.

"Wait, Buff," he told her without concern, "They know what they're doing." She looked across and saw pairs of black evil-looking swords appear from under the coats of the four, one with several silver Star of David symbols along the blade as they sliced professionally into the four bloodsuckers from behind. One bladesman took a glancing blow, but the others stabbed and dusted their opponents. The young couple fled, the tall frizzy-haired swordsman back-slicing the head off the remaining vampire.

"Paul, I told you after that Polgara nicked you earlier, to watch your left," the man told his companion, then smiled over at the three teenagers. He reached down and picked up a rather large duffle as 'Paul' nodded and waved him off. He walked across the street as the others got back into the car, waving and receiving an answering wave from Xander. He casually strolled, no sign of the blades secreted in his coat discernible.

"Hey X," the man addressed Xander, "You left your bag in the car when we left the apartment."

"Hey, thanks, Dad," the boy smiled, taking it from him and shaking hands, "Oh, uhm, guys, this is my dad, Gene. Dad, this is Willow and Buffy." The girls shook hands, Gene smiling at Willow and winking, then turned to Buffy, looking her over astutely.

"What?" Buffy asked uncertainly.

"Nothing, Buffy," the man responded a little sadly, "It's just the last Slayer the guys and I met was twenty years ago in New York. It's how we expanded our gig to include the demon-hunting thing."

"You do this all the time?" she asked confused, "I thought you were a telemarketing manager or something?"

"That's Tony Harris," Xander interjected with only slight venom showing, "This is my real dad, Gene Simmons from New York. He's…in the entertainment business."

"Oh? I'm sorry," she replied in confusion, as the man's companions honked the horn, "Really? What do you call it?"

"Among ourselves we just call it Knights in Slaying Service," the man chuckled as he left, "Call me soon son."

"Soon."

Xander had walked into the Bronze early that next evening, planning to meet the girls when he was noticed by a small group near the stage looking over at him as he bought a coke at the bar.

"Excuse me," a young man addressed him, "I think you were there when those guys saved us from, those, uh, muggers?" Xander nodded non-commitally, "Well we'd like to thank them, though I managed to goof up my hand so I can't play tonight." He showed a wrapped wrist.

"Um, the one guy was my dad," Xander offered, "And I'll pass on your thanks next time he's in town. I know a little guitar, if it's not too crazy, I might help you out."

"Really? What do you usually play?" a girl asked as the rest of the group came over.

"Well…I can play the simpler KISS ballads, and some slow classic country music, it's what I was taught."

"Well, we have an hour before the crowd is supposed to get here, so why don't we give it a try?"

Willow watched in amazement, staring at the stage, Angel in a dark corner also surprised to see the young man who'd usually come across as something of a klutz, when Buffy walked in. He met her at the table.

"What's up guys?" the blonde girl asked, "You both look like…I don't know." Willow smiled and pointed at the stage, where Xander was playing with Cibo Matto.

"Wow," Buffy blinked, "Is Xander up there playing in a band people have heard of?" Willow nodded, and Angel cleared his throat. Buffy noted the look and sighed. Spotting Xander, she headed out onto the dance floor, waved at him until he smiled back, then began to dance in front of him. Xander thought it was very sexy, but from the stage and having to concentrate on what he was playing, he looked over to the table where Willow and Angel were. Knowing the vampire's superior vision, he raised his eyebrows and cocked his head at Buffy in confusion, and as she kept dancing, he glared at Angel and then jerked his head at Buffy. Willow said something to the vampire, who looked mortified and left. As the song wound down, Buffy got close to the stage, and shouted as she writhed, not noticing the vampire had left.

"Xander? Have I ever thanked you for saving my life!" she asked him barely above the din, "Don't you wish I would?" She walked away as he finished the song. He exchanged looks with Willow and the band, then started on the next number.

The next morning had Xander scrambling to complete homework while in class; he'd promised his dad that in exchange for help with the rent on his one-bedroom apartment and emancipation from Tony Harris, he'd keep his grades up. He'd walked Willow home and neither of them could figure out what the deal was with her and Angel: Xander was happy enough that maybe the couple was on the 'outs' but didn't know why he was the recipient of that weird little dance routine of hers. He'd not managed to link up with either of his friends, and had actually pinned down a few teachers for help immediately after school in order to get ahead of the assignments. As he entered the Library, a rock comes crashing through a window.

"Whoa!" he exclaims as Buffy catches the rock in her hands. It has a note wrapped around it and kept in place with a bracelet.

"This is Cordelia's," Buffy says as she removes the note, "'Come to the Bronze before it opens, or we make her a meal.'"

"What do we do?" Willow asks as Xander heads toward the weapons locker to grab his trench coat.

"I go to the Bronze and save the day, again," Buffy answers, starting to leave.

"I don't like this," Xander says, "There's something obvious about this we're missing."

"I agree," Giles nods.

"Yeah?" Buffy responds, turning back for a moment, "Well, you guys aren't going."

"What do you mean?" Willow asks.

"I can't do it anymore," Buffy sighs roughly, "I can't look after the three of you guys while I'm fighting."

"Mr. Giles, I'm currently enrolled at Master Lee's," Xander addressed the Librarian formally, "And I've spent the summer months learning the basics of team demon-hunting. But as I do not intend to step back from this, would you mind starting Willow and myself in basic Watcher styles of combat, and perhaps help me with my Latin?"

"Ur, um, certainly, Xander," Giles replied, somewhat confused, but appreciative at the manner of request.

"Um, thank you," Willow told the Watcher, smiling a small smile at Xander, "But Buffy, what about the rest of the note?"

"What rest of the note?" Buffy replied, diverted from complaining about Giles' agreement to further include the two friends.

"The part that says, 'P.S. This is a trap'?" Willow responded.

"You'll be playing straight into their hands," Giles asserts, removing his glasses, "Perhaps—"

"I can handle this," Buffy cuts him off, grabbing her coat and bag, "This is my fight."

Buffy comes rushing back into the library half an hour later, stopping short when she sees that the place is a shambles. The center table is atop a barely conscious Xander, just recovering and trying to free himself.

"Xander!" Buffy shouts, racing to him as Angel enters the room with the bound female vampire they'd captured at the Bronze, "What happened?"

"Vampires," he spat between gasps, "The ones you could handle yourself. We normals needing protection managed to get five of them before they won."

"Where are the others?"

"I don't know," he angrily replied as he drew out two nasty-looking blades that looked like the ones his father had wielded, "I don't know what your problem is, what your issues are. But as of now, I officially don't care. If you'd worked with us for five seconds, you coulda stopped this."

"We, we just have to think," Buffy responds ashamedly as she turns away, "Where would they have taken them?"

"If they hurt Willow, Buffy," Xander told her coldly, "I'll kill you."

She turns back to him and looks at him seriously, Angel interposing himself and the vampire in his hands between the young man and the slayer.

"Stay out of this, Dead Boy," Xander stared into the eyes of the ensouled vampire, "I forced you to help me save her in the Master's Lair, but you're just another vampire to me. Get in the way and I'll dust you way faster than I dusted the demon with my brother's face." The female vampire's eyes widened as it noticed the famed Angelus flinch.

"Why did they take them and not you?" Buffy asked, trying to avoid an even worse situation. Xander stared at the female vampire and started to smile as he slightly moved the points of his blades.

"Giles said the ritual was, um...They needed people who were close to the Master. Physically close. When he, uh...died. Giles, Willow, Cordelia..."

"Ms. Calendar," Buffy added.

"Odds are they've got a complete set by now," Xander remarked, "And I have an idea of how to find out where." He pushed the blades into the thighs of the female vampire, the religious symbols on the flat of the sword blades lingering inside to further the pain and prevent healing. Buffy and Angel began to look queasy as well as shocked. The female vampire told them where to find the sacrifices and seemed almost relieved when Xander walked out of the Library with a gym bag in hand, and the Slayer drove a stake into the unbeating heart.

The three would-be rescuers stared at the situation, Xander having surprised the two vampires at the door but twisting his off-hand wrist in the process.

"You two get the others out of here," Buffy sighed, "And I'll kill the vampires." Xander looked at his wrist and grimaced, knowing what little technique he had relied on both weapons being in motion. He looked over at Angel and nodded agreement.

Absalom and four minions getting ready for the ceremony look on in disbelief as the Slayer races over to engage them, dusting one of the minions immediately. He notices Angel and Xander making to release the human captives.

"The sacrifices!" he roars, "Stop them!"

A vampire responds to Absalom's command and runs to the ladder to the

platform. Xander waits at the top of the ladder as Angel releases the others. A couple direct stabs into the vampire's head finally causes it to fall to the ground mindlessly, as Buffy continues her fight.

"Are you alright?" Giles asks Jenny, "Where's Buffy?"

"Yeah, I'm okay," the computer teacher replied, "And she seems to be really getting into the fight with the leader down there." Buffy kicks Absalom, who's shown up with a large sledgehammer and charges her as she's finished off the minions with parts of a torch. Buffy calmly impales Absalom, side-stepping and slamming the wood into his back, dusting him anti-climactically. The sledgehammer falls to the floor with a loud clang.

"Hey Buff!" Xander calls out, causing her to look around, then up at the recovering group. He points at the sledgehammer, then the Master's skeleton. Buffy smiles, bends down and picks up the sledgehammer, then gleefully swings the hammer back then crushes the Master's skull, shattering it to pieces, striking repeatedly until not much more than dust remains. She stops and bursts into tears, dropping the sledgehammer to the

floor. Xander looks at Angel in disgust and jerks a thumb down at the trembling slayer. A moment later she's crying into his shoulder. Angel

gently holds on to her as she cries.

"Sheesh," Xander hisses as with his arm around Willow the group departs, "Even I'm not that clueless."


	2. Chapter 2

Knights in Slaying Service II Author: Tohonomike Disclaimer: All characters belong to their rightful owners. Joss/ME characters especially not mine. I do not and cannot make money off of this, but for feedback, I might come up with something more/better. Rating : PG-13 to PG-17; for general demonic horror content... 

**Parent-Teacher Night**

The four followed the boy toward the school. He'd told them of Spike's presence and plan to kill the Slayer, Buffy, and they'd headed up from LA as soon as the plane had landed, renting a helicopter to Sunnydale. Dark and weaponed, the five approached the entrance to the gymnasium as the power seemed to cut out. Spike would be denied his glory.

Spike was still poking the poles into the ceiling, trying to locate Buffy in the pandemonium. Five figures dressed in black leather enter the room, all shaking dust off them. There'd been three minions left to guard the door. William the Bloody ran down the hall, ordering his other four minions to attack. A moment later, the sounds of a fight behind him, Spike runs into Buffy as she's just finished off Sheila.

"Fe, fi, fo fum," he smiles and manages a glancing blow to her head with the pole he'd been using, "I smell the blood of a nice ripe girl."

"Do we really need weapons for this?" Buffy asks, axe in hand.

"I just like them," Spike smirked, "They make me feel all manly." He drops the pole and slowly steps toward Buffy. She drops the axe, "The last Slayer I killed... she begged for her life." Buffy slowly walks to the middle of the hall, watching him intently. "You don't strike me as the begging kind."

Gunfire sounds from where the minions had engaged the human hunters.

Joyce is following everyone out through the stacks when she stops and wonders what happened to her daughter.

"Come on, everyone," Giles urges the parents and students, "This way!"

"You shouldn'ta come here," Buffy told the vampire.

"No. I've messed up your doilies and stuff. But I just got so bored," he smirked, "I'll tell you what. As a personal favor from me to you I'll make it quick. It won't hurt a bit." They exchange a flurry of blows, not noticing he building has gone quiet except for a scream from the hall with the hunters.

"No, Spike," Buffy said, avoiding a punch but landing several, "It's gonna hurt a lot." Spike grabs her arm and shoves her into the wall. She avoids his follow-up, which goes right into the wall itself, giving her a chance to kick him hard in the stones from behind.

""Now, that hurt!" he gasped in rage, 'game face' fully present as he rips a stud from the damaged wall, "But not as much as this will."

He stands over her and wields the improvised weapon behind his head to slam it into her, but he gets hit in the head with the axe. He goes sprawling to the floor and looks up to see Joyce Summers standing above him with the axe in her hands, ready to swing again.

"You get the hell away from my daughter!" the woman screamed at the yellow-eyed demon, "You thing!" Spike holds the stud above himself to protect against any blows, struggling up. He takes two bullets in the side, screams and runs, receiving four more devastating shots as his last minion dusts, making it through the lounge and out the broken window with a destroyed face and several shattered ribs.

"Nobody lays a hand on my little girl," Joyce exhales, then moves to embrace her daughter as five figures quickly move to give chase to the vampire.

Half an hour later and five minions later, they return to the school as Buffy and Joyce are leaving.

"And tomorrow, after school, you're going to explain everything, young lady, especially that white-haired man trying to kill you." Joyce looks up as most of the dark-clad group gets back into a sedan, two approaching her and Buffy.

"Stay away from my daughter," Joyce told them sternly just before their faces entered the light, receiving matching chuckles as they did.

"I don't feel that way about Buffy anymore, Mrs. Summers," Xander joked as both mother and daughter gasped slightly as they realized one of them was Xander. Buffy noticed the way her mom looked at Xander's dad.

"Oh, mom, this is Gene, Xander's dad," Buffy introduced, the man shaking hands as Joyce smiled, as Xander went into the building to find Willow, "Gene, Joyce Summers, my mom."

"Please to meet you, Joyce, Xander's told me a lot about you."

"He never mentioned he had a famous father," she demurred, "So what brings you to Sunnydale?" Buffy looked confused at the turn in conversation.

"Other than saving you lovely ladies from vampires?" he smirked, then chuckled, "Well it is Parent-Teacher Night…"

**Sunnydale High Library, After School.**

"Yeah," Buffy told Jenny and Giles about the previous evening after they'd parted, "And then mom got real funny when I introduced her to Xadner's real dad, who turns out to have his own group of demon-hunter rock band guys."

"Really?" Jenny asked, not expecting it of Xander, "Who is he?"

"Gene Simmons, his band is called KISS, I think."

"Good Lord!"

"Awesome!"

"Ah, must be talking about me or my dad," Xander remarked as he entered the Library, sitting down next to Willow.

"Why didn't you tell me who your father was Xander?" Willow asked, starting to build a resolve-face.

"I did, Wills, the first night back."

"You said he was Gene Simmons, not THE Gene Simmmons…" she stressed, only to get looks of disbelief from the adults and Xander, "And you never did tell us what you did this summer."

"Every time it came up, vampires showed up," Xander reasoned, receiving nods from his two best friends, "And since I suddenly fill in as a guitarist at the Bronze when some group needs somebody, I just thought you already knew."

"W-well what about the blades Buffy says you've been using?" Giles asked, "In our training we haven't reached that far."

"Well, they're twin wakasashis with holy symbols and ironwood tips," the young man replied, "And in training you're having us work with staves first."

"So what else did you do this summer?" Jenny Calendar asked.

"Well, while training and getting know the old man, I finished up the tour, saw some cities in Europe, then we went to Japan, they like the band there, and we trained a bunch more with a bunch of mystical warrior-monk types."

"D-did you see London?" Giles asked.

"July 5th was the final gig, and I actually had a really decent cup of tea. Only this once I'm going to admit you British might still have something better than us," Xander finished, looking at his watch, "Oops, time to go, I have another session with Master Lee before I come back here for Watcher training."

"Um, Xander…" Willow began.

"Dressy casual, we're still on, I'm thinking Chinese and we'll study math after, okay?"

"You two are dating?" Buffy asked.

"We're going out as just maybe more than friends, Buff," Xander smiled, "But not that far along yet. I have no idea what I want so I'm not going to start something and quit later."

"Mr. Mature-Guy, wow," Buffy replied with raised eyebrows.

"I'm known for being mature…"

His statement was greeted by snickers and a surprise howl of laughter from Giles.


	3. Chapter 3

Knights in Slaying Service III Author: Tohonomike Disclaimer: All characters belong to their rightful owners. Joss/ME characters especially not mine. I do not and cannot make money off of this, but for feedback, I might come up with something more/better. Rating : PG-13 to PG-17; for general demonic horror content... 

**Thursday, October 30th, 1997**

Several weeks had gone by without too great a danger from surfacing. Xander continued his training, kept up his grades with the help of Willow and Giles, and started practicing guitar in the Library when research wasn't being done. Giles had insisted that he branch out a little from KISS, but many of the songs picked covered the same weakness in skill. He'd been seen by a few college types when playing at the Bronze, and for some front money, he'd grabbed the Dingoes, a band comprised of fellow Sunnydale High students, and in the process of getting good coverage for future college gigs, which were able to cell phone for help before breaking up the Machida ring. A quick call to his dad meant a good stock tip and some extra spending money.

"Ah, Halloween," Xander smirked at his two friends as he'd managed to avoid Snyder's conscription as he pled unavailable due to a gig at the Shelter, though only the Dingoes would be playing. "Sorry to hear you two will be guiding the little monsters and princesses around," he added with pointed insincerity, "I've been invited to a bunch of parties; want me to swing by after and sweep you off your feet."

"Might as well," Buffy sighed, "I know you don't like him, but can Angel come with us?"

"Only if I get to pick out his costume for him," Xander smiled evilly, earning an amused glare, "But I promise it won't be too bad, but it won't be black."

"Fine, but I get to pick Willow's," Buffy smirked in return.

"Hey!" Willow exclaimed in horror at what was happening, "Don't I get a say in this?"

"No," came the dual reply as they headed off to Ethan's, Buffy phoning Angel for measurements.

How may I help you?" the proprietor asked as the three entered the busy store, recognizing the Slayer from photos stolen from the Watchers archives.

"Well, I believe you have a shipment for me you're supposed to fill out," Xander said, "The name is either under Simmons or Harris?"

"Ah, yes, I have it all in back, plus a few accessories I believe add a little something to it for Halloween," Ethan smiled, being a mild fan of the group in his younger days, and watched the girls head further into the store, "Can I help you with anything else?"

"Yeah, I have a 'friend' whose social skills are a little on the 'dead' side, and I wanted to find something not dark and mysterious that I could get him to wear," Xander considered, handing over measurements.

"How old is he?"

"Looks early twenties, but acts like two hundred," Xander smiled, Ethan identically as he realized the boy must be quietly in league with an old vampire. 'This could be truly interesting if not chaotic,' Ethan considered.

"Well, let's see what we can find, shall we?"

"So Buffy?" Willow broached ingenuously, "Should we go as a theme?"

"Hmm, don't know," Buffy smirked, "We'll see what I can come up with. For you I'm thinking spandex."

"Oh, no, for that I'd have to have, you know, curves, which I don't have…"

"We'll see, we'll see."

"I still don't see why I have to be part of this," Angel complained to Xander, "This day usually is avoided by…the night life."

"So you do consider yourself to be a demon?"

"No…but I am a vampire."

"I thought you were the soul possessing your old body."

"Well, yeah, but I have all the memories…"

"Put this on…and I'm thinking the soul should be making with the 'pissing off of the demon.'"

"What do you mean…and do I really have to wear that?"

"No that's mine, hold still while I put the greasepaint on, and I'm saying this as a vampire-despiser, if you're the soul stuck with the other dude's crappy memories, you should get even and be a 'boy scout.' Be nice to people. Send a check every month to those gypsies that brought you back. Use stationery with teddy bears or hearts, I don't care…but if Angelus'll hate it, I'll be happy."

"Hmm, you have a point, what about this odd helmet, it looks…stupid."

"Merely dorky, and…if it makes her laugh…but I suppose not, it really doesn't go with the costume."

"Yeah…you still love her?"

"Not in the same way, least I don't think, there's this whole Willow maybe-thing developing. And she doesn't look at me that way, the Master's lair pretty much ended any hopes. Hmm, looks like we're done here. We'll be done with the kids around six, but we'll have a few minutes with the girls before."

"What should I do while waiting?"

"Hmm, just help Giles with things, and talk about 'the old country' or any magic known by Angelus that doesn't involve hurting people. Right now, I am the closest guy friend he has. Come to think about it, the three of us are pretty sad, even if we have to put up with each other we might just have to start hanging out so the girls don't outnumber us too much."

**Xander's Car, Willow not Buffy driving**

Willow is pulling into the parking lot as Buffy finishes the last touches on the costumes. Looking uncomfortable, Willow turns the car off.

"Does he know about your costume?" she asks Buffy.

"Nope, and Xander still doesn't know yours," the blonde slayer smirked, "This is a wake up call for both of them, if this doesn't get them going, nothing will."

"O-okay, but, but promise I look alright?" the red-head said

"Wills, you look hot, if I weren't straight, I'd go for you," Buffy responded with an eye-roll, "now let's get over to the Library and get the guys panting before we have to take the kids out."

"But this just isn't me," Willow demurred as they neared the Library doors.

"And it's not me, either, and that's the point. Look, Halloween is the night that not you is you, but not you. Y'know?"

"Oh! I hear them inside. Are you ready?"

"Yeah. O-o-okay."

"Cool! I can't wait for the boys to go non-verbal when they see us!" Buffy gushed as she pushed Willow inside.

"Oh. Oh. Wow!" Xander and Buffy stared in awe as the girls met the boys, two members of KISS apparently meeting girls made up similarly. The temperature in the room soared as the ability to verbalize disappeared.

"Buffy, Willow, Goddesses to all Manly Men, we are in Awe of you! Other than leather, I renounce all fabrics except the spandex!" He moved around to look at all of Willow, gawking at what he'd not considered could be hiding under the mousy clothes, "Wooo, Willow," he gulped.

"Buffy, ah, wow," a bat-face-painted Angel finally responded, "If I knew you were going to dress like that, I wouldn't have given Xander such a hard time about this Halloween thing."

"I never expected he'd dress you like this, Angel," she laughed loudly and happily, checking him out, "This is just too cool."

"Hyena! I get it!" an exclamation from Willow came, drawing Buffy's immediate attention and a defensive stance. Xander smirked, pointed at his face paint and mock-leered at Buffy.

"Looking sexy there, Buff," he smirked, then walked over with his arm quite firmly surrounding a KISS-makeup big-haired redhead dressed in a fishnet body-stocking with a small leather two-piece and thigh-highs with 3" heels. Xander's hand seemed to be playing with the bullwhip hanging off a hook on her thin bikini. Buffy wore a matching outfit and they had black wooden knives strapped with thin silver chains all over their bodies. Only the makeup and hair color differed, Buffy white on the right side with a black star, and photo-negative the other, and Willow just the opposite. And the silver and scarlet alternating nail polish and lipsticks caused many a male heart to stop that night. Then one noticed that Willow's stars were Star of David in shape, a cute touch.

"Not bad yourself, but Hyena?"

"When the band were discussing the possible 'theme' for me if they dressed me up like them came up, it was a toss up between Snake Plissken and something to do with the Hyena."

"But your leather looks like snakeskin and your face like a hyena?"

"Coin fell on its side twice in a row, so I guess someone up there thought it would be funny to do both? Anyway, the guys came up with this, even threw in a little of their own stuff," he mused, then in a television-announcer voice self-mocked, "I guess I'm just the Fifth Knight of the Apocalypse."

"Cool, but what about the wolfy medallion?"

"The costume guy didn't have a hyena necklace, all he had was one he joked is supposed to control werewolves or something."

"Xander," Willow interrupted, not moving from Xander's arm, "A-are your guns real? They look real."

"Yep, Colt Anacondas with sights and holsters, one has a hyena on it and the other a snake on it. The guys thought it was funny, and even though it's supposed to be quiet tonight, why take the chance, and I got my swords in the duster I got at the costume shop, but it's kinda warm so I'm leaving it here. We should be back by sundown anyway. Besides, I keep getting it caught on the guitar when I hang it off my back."

The magic swept over the streets of Sunnydale as the sun began to set; the shadows were enough to allow most of the nightlife to start coming out had they been so inclined, but they chose not to…though the grapevine said the slayer would not be the slayer tonight, so many of the more aggressive demons contemplated outings.

Willow 'First-Star' moaned in something between pain and delight as she started to rise from the ground, first to her hands and knees, large tresses of hair thrown back and to the sides to allow her to see. Down the street she could Beth 'See-Tonight' similarly picking herself off the ground, and…mmm, checking her out.

"Hey, Star," the blonde called out to the red, getting to a standing position and walking as Willow mimicked her strut, "What's the What, here? And where's the boys?"

"Don't know, Star," she replied, then heard two loud gunshots further along the street, "But that sounds like 'Lex' finding some fun."

"Awesome, let's go!"

"Strange," Angel murmured to himself, "Where're the rest, they should be here by now. I guess I'll have to go find them." He looked around, "Hmm, better borrow Lex's coat in case the sun's still out."

He made it outside and down the walk, not nearly as quickly or as silently as he normally did, a steady faint thumping somewhere nearby starting to tick him off until he realized it…at least during whatever was going on…

"I'm alive again!" he shouted, "Rock On!"

Xander, writhed on the ground, the medallion morphing and then quickly melding into his skin, thin exquisite lines of a laughing hyena nearly five inches (2cm?) across on his now quite hairy chest. His wig of real hair became his own, and if he were there his father would have been awed by it. His body flexed with larger and better defined muscles, the power of the Alpha almost searing the blood with the demand for freedom and chaos before the medallion finished and the Animal faded into the man forever, but little sparks lit up his face, the silvered glitter burning, fading, burning, then fading again. Then leather skin for a moment seemed to grow, thicken, spread further around his body, but meeting the silvered energies of the medallion, retracted to its original state.

Two large demons chased a young woman in a catsuit and a single white sun and cat whiskers on black greasepaint straight toward Xander. He drew and fired one of his Colts, a shot into each monster's head as he reached over and caught the falling cheerleader in the crook of his apposite arm.

"Miss Kitty, always good to save a fan…" Lex purred behind his face paint, winking, "If you could sing as well as you run, I'd let you play with my yarn…"

"Only if we get to pet the kitty, Lex," a certain redhead half-moaned, half-complained as the two all-out KISS girls approached the scene.

"Especially if you're breaking out the Big Gun," the blonde smirked. Cordelia, equally affected, found herself unknowingly moved by the pheromones the chaos spell had activated of the world's most powerful potential witch, a very uninhibited Slayer Spirit released through the embodiment of a real rock super-groupie, and a healthy teenaged male with his pheromones off the scale from Alpha activation. Only Angel's timely arrival kept something pornographic from breaking out in the street then and there.

"Lex, nice shooting," Angel smiled, "Leave something for me?"

"Maybe a little something, Dea—Liveboy…Cool, man, but how?"

"Some kind of spell, I not only seem to be your…band mate," he shook his head, holding up a pair of drumsticks that'd been in his pocket, "But I seem to be human with all that means."

"You're human!" Buffy cried, leaping over and wrapping her legs around his waist as Lex moved his arms to encompass Cordelia and Willow. Xander sighed deeply and very begrudgingly.

"As much as I really want to do something else," he said, squeezing the girls in his arms, "We better find Giles fast to see if we need to be worried about this, and if ending it will cause all this craziness," he let go of the girls and proceeded to use both Colts to smartly, and loudly, dust the heads of four actual vampires before beginning the topping off of his ammo. The others, seeing how unchanged kids had nearly been eaten, nodded begrudgingly.

"Giles!" Buffy called out as they burst back into the Library, interrupting what he'd hoped was quiet time. Regaining himself, he listened to the apparent affects on them and others by some type of changing magic.

"Good Lord, we need to find a way to end this," he considered, "hopefully Angel will retain his humanity when it's over." The two looked stricken at the possible alternatives and embraced each other even more closely. "What do all of the costumes have in common, after all, you mentioned some children were unchanged."

"Well, the only thing I got that matches what Lex and Red have, costume-wise, is the face paint and collar (she shows them the KISS logo)."

"So that means we got it from Ethan's, where he'd held the stuff Dad sent me," Xander said in a deep, clear and firm voice, turning to a paling Giles, "Rupert, are you alright? Does that name mean something?"

"Oh yes, it does, and I'll take care of this," the older man asserted.

"Angel, you and Star-Bright do a quick blitz of the popular spots where demons might take advantage of things, just settle for rescues and move on, we'll try to end the spell as soon as possible."

"What about us, Lex," the other Star asked, Cordelia nodding along while rubbing closer against the now very manly teen.

"You better come with us, but stay in the car when we get there, I know guns and stuff, and Rupert knows this fellow," he replied confidently, then grabbed his coat from Angel, "Here, you and Sunburst take my coat, it's starting to get a little chilly…and I don't have time to warm you two up just yet."

Lex and Rupert left the car running, the heater going, so the younger man accepted his coat back and rolled it over his arm as they entered the costume store.

"Hello!" Giles calls out as Xander pulls out a Colt and looks around the front room, "Anyone home?" The young man points to the curtain to the back room. They slowly go in and see the statue of Janus there. Its eyes glow green."

"Janus," Giles remarks, "Roman mythical god."

"Not so mythical, Ripper," Ethan purrs, "Just the thing actually, who's your musical friend?" Giles stares at Ethan as though he's seen a ghost.

"What? No hug? Aren't you pleased to see your old mate, Rupert?"

"Why? And how do we stop it?"

"Because I can. Don't wish to blow my own trumpet, but it's genius. The very embodiment of 'be careful what you wish for'."

"It's sick, brutal, and it harms the innocent."

"Oh, and we all know that you are the champion of innocents and all things pure and good, Rupert. It's quite a little act you've got going here, old man."

"It's no act. It's who I am."

"Who you are? The Watcher, sniveling, tweed-clad guardian of the

Slayer and her kin? I think not. I know who you are, Rupert, and I know

what you're capable of. But they don't, do they? They have no idea where you come from." Xander smiles evilly, his face paint returning.

"Actually, you've provided me with just enough blackmail now to where he'll have to tell me of 'the old days' to keep me from telling others about 'the old days,'" Xander smirked as he started to put on the duster. Ethan smiled as he started to see a flash in the boy's eyes and just enough confusion as the paint disappeared and a brief wincing of pain was seen as green light flashed around the waistline.

"They told me you died," Ethan deadpanned, confusing Giles, who ordered him to break the spell.

"I hear that a lot," young-seeming man replied, getting his bearings and pointing guns at both men, "But some how I'm still here." Giles started to turn back toward Xander. Ethan was mentally minutes ahead of the game.

"I'll give you two thousand dollars to knock this ruffian unconscious," Ethan asserted. Giles only had enough time to look surprised as a Colt struck him just enough to send him into darkness.

"I'll take my money now," the younger, scruffy man mentioned, guns still drawn. Ethan nodded and moved to the cashbox and handed over the promised funds. Snake grunted and pointed to the back door, "That a way out of here?" Ethan nodded and the young man left.


	4. Chapter 4

Knights in Slaying Service IV Author: Tohonomike Disclaimer: All characters belong to their rightful owners. Joss/ME characters especially not mine. I do not and cannot make money off of this, but for feedback, I might come up with something more/better. Rating: R; for general demonic horror content...and sexual references 

Fifteen minutes later, the girls became concerned that Giles and Lex hadn't come back out yet, though they'd been giving each other somewhat flirtatious looks in the meantime.

They slowly and quietly made their way into the store, a tire iron and an automobile 'Club' as weaponry.

The young couple had made an impression on a few vampires, the mystery girl dusting a half-dozen independents in a relatively short time.

"How 'bout we stop and not rest?" the girl asked her now-human boyfriend, "I can think of several things we can do to pass the time. Don't you have an apartment?"

He walked into a place called the Fish Tank, the place stank like every other place of its type, stale beer and old sweat. He moved around to the far end of the bar, somehow the place parted enough for him, even those not facing him sensed the predator amongst their kind. Only two of those in the bar weren't entirely human, but many would have said the same of the rest anyway. He sat down and stared at the bartender's back. Three seconds later the man tensed and turned.

"Whiskey, neat," he near whispered in a slight rasp. The man was about to card him in spite of the twenty on the bar, when their eyes met. This wasn't a kid; this was a guy who could take out half the bar if he felt moody.

A man holding a cue stick next to him apologized for brushing up against him; he was ignored. Then a fight broke out between two rival gangs as he started on his third drink. Knives were drawn and a few smaller caliber revolvers had hands reaching for them, when from about twenty feet across the bar a cue stick flew between four different nascent face-offs and four inches deep through the dart board around which the fight had started. Eight men backed away from each other as the crowd found a moment of silence to stare from whence came the projectile. They saw the man in leather who stood in front of his bar stool, twin Anacondas out.

"I'd appreciate a little quiet while I finish my drink, you see I'm just passing through."

They stared at him, so he made his point.

"Whatever it is…consider it a tie or I'll start killing equal numbers of you until somebody agrees with my point of view. Or wait 'til tomorrow night when I'm not here."

"Kinda tough with those guns, aren't ya?" A large obnoxious man with no biker gang affiliation apparent challenged. A moment later he was unconscious and hitting the ground hard, the annoyed bar patron having tossed his gun in the air, thrown a half-empty vodka bottle into the man's head, then caught his gun once more.

"Don't need the gun, it's just a little louder in a crowd. And the guy on the floor is buying drinks until it runs out."

The fight was forgotten and a few rounds of drinking began. Two women of questionable repute and a great deal of experience approached the man, each having received a nod from their leaders.

"I appreciate the gesture, ladies, but not tonight. Thank your chiefs for me." He downed his whiskey and strode out of the room, the crowd parting in respect.

"Who are you?" One of the tight-panted, halter-topped women asked, her whiskey breath strong.

"Plissken, Snake Plissken."

"I heard that name somewhere, and that you died," the leader of Hell's Wolves commented.

"Maybe I did."

Cordelia smacked a man in the head as he came through the curtain, and it actually was Ethan Rayne.

"Where's Giles?" Willow asked as they headed into the other room, than ran over to him as a groan announced his position and recovery. Cordelia walked over to the statue.

"Giles? Do you think if we break this thing, the spell will be over?"

"I-I hesitate to try it without questioning Ethan first."

"Will that make a difference?"

"No, but it will justify my beating on him quite harshly until I feel better."

"You're in my way," a quiet voice observed as the group of pirates cornered the three girls, "Please move."

"What d'ye tink you'll do wit' jus' the two pistols if'n we don't," snarked the pirate Larry had become as he briefly turned from Amy, Amber and Harmony. Four other pirates chuckled and moved to intercept the man.

Three seconds later, the man had walked through them, using the stocks of his twin Colts and the mass of the strange boots he wore to crush cheekbones and feet in a whirl of screaming pirates.

"I'll just kill you to clear a path," the man said, death in his eyes. The pirate held up his hands, backed away, and ran down the alley. The young man glanced at the three shocked girls, nodded, "Ladies…" and left them to their incidental freedom.

Spike had run around the entire town with his minions looking for the bloody slayer, looking with interest as a human moved at incredible speed to take out a bunch of blokes much more impressive seeming. He gestured at his minions to follow as the man continued on his way.

"Slayer!" the demon called out as it and two demons with jewels in their foreheads moved out of the shadows, "I was afraid you wouldn't visit Angelus tonight."

"Could we hurry this up? I'm really trying to get him back to his apartment."

"Enough!" the demon said as the Mohras leapt out, happy to have gotten this last-second contract while on their way to LA, moved to prevent escape. The two humans moved toward the edge of the warehouse alley, the smell of the nearby ocean strong, "I am Toth, known as—" he flexed his hands out, a beam of light moving toward Buffy, but surprisingly as she ducked, the now-human Angel proved too slow to duck and was struck as he rolled into the refuse heaped up for pick up.

"…the dead demon," a raspy voice called out, shots firing into it and the Mohras, who'd rushed toward Angel as the immediate target. Bullets pierced the demons, two passing through comparatively unimportant arts of Angel's now-human body, a Mohra falling atop him and gushing.

"I just am looking for a little peace and quiet…" the voice continued, this time shooting the jewels in the head and ending the demons. The other Mohra fell atop another section of garbage as they all felt magic dissipate slightly. Buffy rushed over and checked on Angel, the young man silently moving over and watching as green light flashed over the body and from the other Mohra in the refuse. The light matching that cast by the demon briefly swirled and ceased. Angel, looking weak, looked up and only saw Buffy.

"I'm still human, boy am I tired."

"Xander?" Buffy began, then realized he was no where within fifty feet, "He's even better at that than you…"

Lex found himself facing off around the corner against six of Spike's eight minions as the rest watched from the shadows. The young scruffy man just shook his head at the standard vampire remarks, firing twelve shots and being knocked back into a wall pretty hard but he managed to take out all six at the cost of some bruises.

"Let's say we leave that one alone, shall we?" he grimaced, the two remaining minions nodding as they watched the human reload before departing, "I'll buy us a pint, lads."

"Xander! Lex!" two female voices called out as he was about to enter a place called Willy's Alibi Room, "Are you okay?"

"Why wouldn't I be?" he said, looking at them reviving feelings from earlier this evening, "Join me for a drink?"

"Sure!" Cordelia said, still under the residual affects of the spell and pheromones, especially in proximity to Xander again. Willow looked at her funny, and also feeling a little 'free' nodded and grabbed one of his two proffered arms.

They walked into a relatively squalid place, Cordelia interested at the sheer gutter-rankness of it but more interested in the company, while Willow was too busy taking in the fact that there were at least ten different species of demon and Xander didn't care. He walked up and dropped two hundred dollars on the bar.

"A bottle of good bourbon, a decent bottle of red wine and clean glasses." He looked around, ignoring the smirks of several demons readying themselves for fun and eats when he drew out his weapons yet again, and at point blank range dusted through decapitation five loud vampires occupying the large back corner booth while playing cards. He looked at the Brachen dealer who'd been sitting there.

"Half the pot to buy drinks for the house, the other half's yours, clean the table now." Ten seconds later, the table cloth and all on it had been lifted out of the way and a clean one replaced it. A roar of approval defused any further ill-will as drink orders were placed. As the girls took up positions to the sides of 'Lex' a demon thanked him for the drink, and begged his name for a toast.

"Lavelle, Lex Lavelle" he replied as he poured wine for the girls.

"Um, Lex, are you still under the spell?" Willow asked, snuggling up to him, but a little hesitant.

"No, but I kept what they had."

"They?" Cordelia asked, sipping what proved to be an excellent vintage free of 'extras.'

"Well, the first was me as a member of KISS, with the abilities of Dad and the others depending what they'd given me toward the costume…and then when I put the rest of the "Snake Plissken" costume on, I became him."

"What about now?"

"I'm me, with what they had, it's not fading. Not yet."

"So why are we here if there's no magic involved?" Cordelia asked.

"Because I'm probably the hottest and deadliest man in town, and you'd rather I drop a few bills on a place to see what kind of magic we three can make instead of what the spell started us doing."

The two girls stared at him, each other and back at him again. He smiled a small smile and gave them equally lustful looks as he reached up and took seemingly forever to caress a cheek of each, then whispered, causing them to tremble slightly, "Shall we?"

**11:35 AM, November 1st, 1997**

The next morning found Alexander and two blushing girls in robes eating breakfast quietly in their suite at the Sunnydale Hilton, lots of fruit, and a small buffet-like selection off to the side with what his food-eidetic memory recalled as being what they'd mentioned as liking in the past. Cordelia had been both radiant and nervously blushing until he'd handed her the sales ads of the newspaper and a thousand dollars, suggesting she find something for her and Willow this weekend. Willow proved more afraid of the shopping about to engulf her than any emotional discomfort regarding the previous evening, early morning and pre-dawn hours.

"Well, how's breakfast," the young man with lots of hair pulled back into a pony tail asked in a soft but projecting manner, "I think the pineapple crepe things are great." Cordelia looked up and decided to beam a major smile.

"Surprisingly good, and there's an impressive sale at Nordstrom's in Los Angeles we'll be shopping at," the beautiful brunette enthused, impulsively side-hugging Willow as she now felt that at the most intimate level they were now equals, "It'll be great." Willow's eyes widened at the unabashed enthusiasm and fondness Cordelia seemed to have for her as well as Xander. Summoning what courage she had, she decided to ask.

"Um, can I ask something?" she posed the question quietly, causing newspapers and forks to be set aside. The two nodded, Xander then Cordelia reaching to hold hands with the others, "Is, ah, it always that good, you know? I never…"

"I hope so, Wills, cause even though I had a few ideas, it was my first time too."

"Mine too," Cordelia admitted, "All I've ever done was the making out."

"Really? Cause that was…wow," the red head responded quietly and blushing deeply, "A-and, I, ah, now what? Are we…something?"

Xander raised an eyebrow and looked to Cordelia, who blushed and looked at Xander, shrugging. Cordelia reestablished handholding with both of them. Cordelia eventually answered.

"It's…weird…complicated…and I so don't want to explain it to my parents before I'm eighteen, but yeah…I'd like this to gone on forever, I mean I'm not even bi, but I like suddenly…sharing…like we did, and I now I just wish we'd've been friends from the start, too." She started to tear up and tried shaking the desire to cry away. Willow and Xander both picked up on it and moved to a side of her each as Cordelia broke down, "I'm so sorry I was mean to you…" and the rest as sobbing girl mumbling that only Willow could partially manage to translate, shooting Xander looks of translation on the particulars. 'Maybe this could really work…' Willow thought hopefully, 'Being with a wonderful guy and girl seems right for some reason.' And Xander, being Xander, smiled as he thought something. Cordelia looked up long enough to catch both his concerned look and a briefly distracted smile.

"What is it?" she sniffed with a half-smile.

"Nothing…" he replied, receiving bemused glares in response, "I was just wondering what a twinkie would taste like with just a touch of maple syrup and wrapped in one of the pineapple crepes."

"That's our Doofus."

"Hey I'm a growing boy…"

"You were more than growing last night…" Willow softly voiced.

"Willow!" Xander smiled, "That was…good."

"Not half as fun as you having us play follow the cobra tattoo that circles your waist, with Cordelia moving from the other side."

"Enough," Xander blushed, heading for the bathroom for a shower, "I'm not listening…la, la, la…" Cordelia, also a crimson color, barely averted choking on the coffee she'd just sipped.


	5. Chapter 5

Knights in Slaying Service V Author: Tohonomike Disclaimer: All characters belong to their rightful owners. Joss/ME characters especially not mine. I do not and cannot make money off of this, but for feedback, I might come up with something more/better. 

**Nordstrom's, Los Angeles, 3:30PM**

"Okay, I finally called Rupert," Alexander told his two girlfriends as they came out of the store and out into the food court where he sipped coffee, "It seems Angel and Buffy managed to have an eventful evening, him getting beaten up and oozed on by a demon." The young man smirked.

"But they're okay?" Willow asked with a less mousey show of concern than normal, adjusted her clothes, and at his nod continued, "Good, so do we need to go back or anything?"

"No, not yet," he replied, "How about we find ourselves a place I won't have to dress up for, eat and then get back." He sighed.

"What is it Lex?" Cordelia asked, using the new nickname for the new hunk and placing a hand on his wrist.

"It's just I feel the need to make it up to Rupert for hitting him last night, he said he understood and forgives…"

"He's Giles, since it was his old buddy, I'm sure he doesn't blame you," Cordy continued, "And, hey, when did you stop calling him Giles or something annoying?"

"I just…grew up a bit…and realized he was someone I really did respect, and after getting that feeling of respect over the summer, I guess I've just fallen into a good habit, Sunburst."

"Wow," Willow and Cordelia added, "We liked you the way you were, but you're incredible the way you are now." Willow nodded along, adjusting her unfamiliar wardrobe again.

"Anyway," he continued, "I told him we would come by around eight, apparently Buffy's making Angel go to her mom's for dinner and see if he can pass muster."

**Warehouse District, Sunnydale, 7:30PM**

"Finally, one of you that knows something," the vampire spat dismissively as he ripped off the head of the minion called Dalton, "Soon I'll see my family again."

**SHS Library, 8PM**

"Wow," Jenny voiced as she saw Willow and Cordelia enter the building well-dressed in high-end fashionable leather skirts and silk blouses, and each on the arm of a very muscular leather-clad Alexander Harris. The others turned, considering for themselves in their own way the noteworthy sight. While not nearly as large as the previous night, the girls' hair was more under control, having been conditioned and subdued into braids, while Lex had chosen to simply tie it back into a single ponytail.

"Rupert," Xander began, walking up to his mentor, "I still want you to know I'm sorry about last night."

"I-It's alright, Xander," the Watcher assured him, patting him on his substantial back, "Though I take it from your appearance that there is at least an echo remaining from last night's adventures?"

"Yeah, more than a bit, and not just the fashion sense," he replied, taking one of the seats offered to the three.

"How's that Xander?" Joyce Summers asked with concern, "Rupert and Buffy were able to explain things from their points of view, but that still leaves what happened after you reached Ethan's."

"I became Snake Plissken, roughed up a few vampires, had a few drinks, and then ran into the girls. It was getting late, so we headed over to the Hilton, got a suite using Ethan's money, decided over breakfast we were friends, and went to LA."

"So you were Kurt Russell?" Jenny asked, her and Joyce both looking intrigued, "Got the cobra tattoo?"

"Does he ever…" Cordelia smirked, Willow growing crimson, "And it goes all the way around his…waist." Xander rolled his eyes as the women looked at Xander for a moment then smiled.

"No, Kurt Russell was the actor that played Snake, but you have to remember, I was Snake, handsome merciless near-sociopathic mercenary…though that medallion did a number on me." He stopped, somewhat quiet as he considered how to continue.

"You mean the werewolf controlling one that became a tattoo?" Buffy asked. Giles' eyes widened at the revelation.

"Good Lord, Xander!" the man exclaimed, "how has that affected you?"

"Well, it felt like being the Hyena again for a minute, but the medallion burned itself into me and suddenly I was Hunky-Xander with the strength and everything, but no spirit around anymore. My face paint was on fire for a minute, and…"

"Good Lord!"

"Whoa…"

"What?" Xander asked as they stared at his face, then shook their heads.

"Xander," Joyce spoke first, "When you were concentrating on telling us about your face paint, it seemed to come out of your pores and there your mask was again…"

"Hmm, cool," he replied, then thought about the exposed areas of his body, realizing that he might just be able to control it with practice, "I guess I don't change into a Hyena, but the medallion left me being able to change to look the Hyena-Me I was dressed as…nice." He wiggled his eyebrows at his girlfriends, shifting their feelings from concern to interest in a heartbeat.

"Yes, quite," Giles added with a thoughtful look, "Do you recall anything else?"

"Yeah, the Snake tattoo expanded to where it is, and the armor, which was supposed to look like black snakeskin, tried to move all over my body until the medallion zapped it back. The tattoo got itself started pretty quick, though. The hair is all mine, chest and head, my teeth are perfect but luckily human. Skill-wise, I'm like super black ops guy as well as suddenly having most of the skills and talents of all KISS members, but not Live-Boy's." Angel and others smiled at the reference to the new 'drummer.'

"That's, er, quite a lot, especially as the others haven't experienced such drastic changes."

"Could be a result that even though I added some stuff as a costume, most of my stuff was real, guns, greasepaint I'd worn before, guitar from Dad strummed before…and since I became a version of myself more than the others…"

"Only the specific personality controls really left when the magic ended. Fascinating."

"And I now have two girlfriends…so I'm quite happy."

"Hmm, I think while we have everyone here, we should test out skills and abilities," Giles urged, "Xander and, er, Buffy, why don't you warm up a little and see where Xander is, then we'll see what Angel has physically retained from his time as a vampire."

"Okay, sounds good enough," Xander said getting up, then turned as he overheard Cordelia whispering to Willow about skills 'First-Star' had used at the motel. He looked to see Willow turning a deep red and laugh, then Buffy look wide-eyed at the two young women. "That's just the tip of it, Buff," he whispered with a smile as he walked by her to the training area.

Xander removed his boots, leather vest, coat and weapons, then looked at his black leather pants. He looked up at Giles, smirked, and the skintight pants shrunk up his legs to just above the knee, tightened to fit around his pelvis and manly parts more comfortably.

"I forgot that these seem to be able to expand and contract. The normal way is the two-piece like it was as a costume, except only one piece, but I can spread it almost all over but it's thinner that way," and he made it seem like a painted coating all over except over the chest tattoo, "or I can make it as small as a thick belt as strong as all get out if I make it line up with the tattoo, but I'm so not showing you that. And it seems at all times at least part of it has to touch the tattoo for it to work. Oh, and I seem to lose the top layer of skin somewhere, along with any dirt or such. Instant shower."

"Wow," was the general response, to which Giles asked, "But you are able to remove it, correct?"

"Oh, it comes off," Willow enthusiastically contributed, only to turn red again and hide her face in her hands as she realized what she'd said and couldn't deny.

After a moment, Buffy and Xander faced off, slowly increasing the speed, complexity and some of the strength used, Xander doing quite well and getting in quite a few scores until he called a halt.

"What's wrong, Xander?" Buffy asked as the others approached, "You seemed to be well."

"Yeah, but you didn't really see anything much beyond what I've learned already, did you?"

"Some of your strikes were new, kinda fast, why?"

"Snake wasn't a martial artist as such, he was a brutally efficient… martialist I guess, he knew the moves, but his experience had focused it to ending a situation, not making it graceful or letting it carry on. You're way stronger and faster than me, Buff, but it was all I could do to not cripple and kill you once we got going. I might have a bunch of ideas for you to try if you run into a bunch of vamps and need to end it quick instead of fighting them. And I think I'll need to practice on some vampires and have you guys watch."

"Wow, cool, so you don't know as much, but what you do know is like Bruce Lee serious?" The blonde slayer was quite happy to have a real sparring partner.

"Well, I have the knowledge and the skill, but I guess when he used it it's a lot like you seem to get some times, and just stop thinking. When I started to get near that point, Snake's focus was instinctive in ending the fight there, then and without consideration for others."

"So, what about speed and stuff?"

"He seemed about twice the speed of a human in his regular moves," Angel surprised everyone by speaking up, "And maybe a bit faster when he focused. He recovered and dodged about that fast, too."

"Indeed," Giles agreed, "Though when struck he seemed a little better than that at regaining his equilibrium. I don't know how well or long he can keep going at those levels, but quite impressive. It would normally take Olympic-level training and commitment to attain such levels, I certainly hope we can come up with a training regimen for you Xander that will allow you to maintain your new gifts."

"Er, thanks Giles, I'd appreciate that," Xander replied, "Maybe something that I can be doing all the time, so that the actually training will be on improvement rather than just keeping what I have now?"

"I'll give it some thought, and now why don't you see if you can remember any other skills while we test Angel," Giles directed, turning to the restored human, "Angel?"

Xander stepped outside for a minute to head for Cordelia's car, pulling out a large duffle and his guitar case. When he returned to the library, he noticed Angel doing quite well, but starting to tire. Reaching the table, he watched Giles stop the sparring, Xander readying his instrument as the girls opened the duffle.

"Well, Angel, you are just about as fast as Xander, and nearly as strong," the Watcher considered as Buffy stopped her beau from guzzling water and giving himself cramps, "But since your body itself has not had to work for its strength and speed, we'll have you concentrating hard on building stamina. Your moves indicate possible black belts in Aikido and Karate, but not much else, and when you shifted to swords you were very good."

"My father expected it, and the…messenger…that sent me to Sunnydale actually trained me in Karate and Aikido, plus bare-knuckle boxing. Angelus never bothered to learn anything, though I added Tai Chi a few decades back to help with the…brooding."

"Well, very good, I think if we move quickly, and intensively, by Christmas we hopefully reach a point where you and Xander in capability and skill might approximate each other quite well. Given my own skill in rapier, which will help against the speed and agility the two of you have shown, we'll use that for sword practice."

"It's a shame there isn't something we could use to slow Buffy down, Giles," Xander noted, sitting up on the counter and getting ready to play the guitar, "If she could learn at a slower level, with people at or slightly above her in skill, imagine how well she'd build up skill so that when she faced a Master vampire that started life as a linebacker, she could treat him like a newbie." Only Xander seemed to note the Watcher's slight paling at his first sentence, deciding to ask about it later.

"Hey! I'm skilled!" Buffy countered, then thought about it for a minute, "Right?"

"W-well, you master moves quite well, Buffy," Giles conceded, "But I understand where Xander's coming from. "Training as the underdog instead of the stronger does give you perspective, and perhaps even an insight into what moves others might use…"

"And if you can make it instinctual, the surprise alone to the vamps would be like Larry finding out the hard way that Jonathan Levinson is Duncan Macleod of the Clan Macleod before he could finish the first lame vampire quip," Xander added with a serious look but a smile, "Cause remember, Buff, we're all here to make sure you become the first Slayer to reach a hundred, right guys?"

Joyce smiled, tears forming that matched her little girl's, as the group assured them, "So Mr. Giles? IS there anyway to tone her down or boost them up that isn't dangerous?"

"Rupert, or Giles, please," the Watcher replied, "If there is, I don't know if we could limit it to just training times, I'd hate to risk anything if she were to encounter an adversary while still under the influence of anything we could use. A-and I'm unsure if there are safe magics for others, but we can certainly research."

"It's too bad we don't have two Slayers," Cordelia said, "Then the experienced one could train the newer one until they matched up. But then I guess you'd have to find a way to have trained the first one before she became a Slayer."

"A-actually, we can sometimes identify a potential slayer early on," Giles considered, "And the Council takes steps to train them as Slayers and as future Watchers so that as most are not Called, they can continue as part of the fight."

"Should we maybe call someone and have potentials show up?" Xander asked, getting an odd look of concern from Joyce, "That way Buffy could train them in what she's picked up, they can as young girls help prepare the Buffster, kind of a cross-training. As teachers, each would realize their own weak points and work to correct them, and know they would also be keeping each other alive."

"When did you become so smart, Xander?" Jenny asked, receiving an eye-roll from Xander, "I mean, about real stuff?"

"It's the only stuff he does know," Cordelia told her directly, "Not the book stuff, but come on…his grades used to suck, but he's still in the same classes as me and Willow."

"Thanks, I think," Xander replied tentatively, Willow cutting him off.

"And those're going to improve real soon if Cordelia and I have our way with him," Willow said, then grimaced and sighed at the look he gave her, "I don't mean that mister, but you won't have a hope at that unless you start using the smarts we know you have."

"And you'll have to 'clean up nicely' once in a while, too," Cordelia jumped in, the conversation not only going off track but taking a vacation in Uganda, "And no more smoking."

"You smoke, Xander!" Joyce disapproved, "No more, young man, or no more dinners for you." Xander developed a horrified look of loss at this threat.

"Snake smoked, not me!" Xander nearly yelped, "I'm just stuck with giving the habit up…"

"And have you tried, yet?" Cordelia asked.

"It's only been twenty-four hours!"

"Mm, don't wanna kiss a nasty-smelling mouth…" Willow reinforced.

"Okay, okay," Xander complained, then turned to Giles, "How about we move on to other skills…uh, I play several instruments, I could manage a recording business including the merchandising, I'm at least capable in probably any non-exotic modern weapon, I can track and kill silently in almost any setting whether urban or of any biome in the northern hemisphere, I can from component materials create effectively and possibly non-traceable explosive devices, I know most of the pressure points on the human body and how to effect them in the full spectrum of possible situations, and I speak military and government-speak and a couple of languages, they may be modern but its gotta be of the good…"

"Sadly, English isn't one of them," Giles remarked, causing Xander to stop in shock, speechless.

"And winner by TKO, Rupert Giles," Angel intoned, igniting laughter even from Xander.

"And Willow knows how to play tambourine, dress hair, sing and dance a bit, seems to be a very good knife fighter, and can probably use her bullwhip to…" Xander said and purposefully paused to look at his audience, "knock the cigarette out of my mouth if I light up near her."

Willow sighed in relief he didn't say what else she was good at now, Xander continuing on Cordelia, "Cordelia seems to have picked up singing talent and skill, Giles, also is a dresser of the hair, and has picked up balance and grace enough to probably dance professionally with training, and might be good with a rapier."

"Really?" Giles enthused, "Would you care for lessons, Miss Chase?"

"Wow, sure, Giles, and it's just Cordelia."

"Oh!" Buffy remembered, "My knife-fighting and throwing is much better than before, I guess all those knives Willow and I wore on our costumes passed on some skill. And my costume must have been made in France, because my French is better?"

"Really?" Willow asked hopefully.

"Yup, no more 'Je Stink' for me, Willow," the Slayer enthused, leaning back into her tentatively-approved boyfriend.

"Well on that note, and though it has nothing to do with slaying," Giles paused, "I'm curious as to these musical skills we've been mentioning, shall we?"

**Warehouse District, Sunnydale, 9:30PM**

Angelus sighed, dropping the male teen to the ground in disgust before finding the building Spike and Drusilla stayed in, 'What is that taste? This kid must have been doing some nasty drugs.' He entered the door, dropping Billy Fordham in the alley, no longer an issue even to himself.


	6. Chapter 6

Knights in Slaying Service VI Author: Tohonomike Disclaimer: All characters belong to their rightful owners. Joss/ME characters especially not mine. I do not and cannot make money off of this, but for feedback, I might come up with something more/better. 

Not my best, but I did want to end this WIP. Hope it's passable.

**Sunday, November 2nd, 1997**

Lex, Starburst and Sunburst walked into the Bronze and the volume of conversation dropped as Xander dropped a twenty on a waitress' tray and asked her to seat them at her best table. People seemed to shift aside almost subconsciously as they moved through the place, the popular kids floored at the new royalty of Sunnydale High. Cordelia, dressed even more toward perfection than before, emphasizing mature confidence over tight attraction, achieved both effects, as did both of her table mates that she'd dressed for the night.

At first very few of the denizens of the establishment had recognized the new Xander Harris, as Willow and Cordelia had drawn the attention of the male population and the curious and envious females.

Harmony and Amber as they approached the table, recognized that the man that had saved them the other night was sitting at the table, and that he was Xander Harris.

"Harris!" Harmony exclaimed in shock, "You look great!"

"Um, thanks, Harmony, hi Amber," he responded with some surprise of his own, expecting a tirade of some sort, "I'm glad to see both of you made it home safe the other night."

"Thanks Xander," Amber smiled slightly as Harmony nodded agreement, then gave him a quick peck on the cheek, "That was really scary, and thanks." At that she grabbed Harmony's arm and pulled her back to the herd, leaving the young triad to themselves.

"What was that about, Lex?" Cordelia asked, "I don't remember any pirates."

"A bunch of pirates jumped them and Amy, before you two found me at Willy's, so I guess they're glad I got them out of the alley."

An hour later, they were about to leave the place, having danced, talked and generally enjoyed themselves. Buffy and Angel had stopped by for a few minutes, but as the former vampire was already trying to alter his sleep patterns toward the normal, he seemed a bit off before asking Buffy to escort him home.

Angelus' encounter with Spike and Drusilla had brought down the house. Even though he was in human form, the demon was able to increasingly strengthen the body without damaging. Spike had come in with complete disbelief, but a quick smack to the head with a board had knocked unconscious the century-old vampire as Angelus and Drusilla went into the back for round two of re-acquaintance, emerging only when the sun went down and Angelus' need for 'play' happened to converge.

"Ah, Dru girl, how 'bout we go to the kiddy bar and get us a bit of an appetizer?"

"Mm, Daddy's worn his little girl out," she stretched, "bring me something back?"

"Sure, Dru lass, it just might be a while, I'm feeling picky tonight," her sire smirked as he tossed the healed but unconscious Spike around for his jacket, "Ah, William, I didn't think you'd mind the loan of your jacket."

Xander, Willow and Cordelia left the Bronze, and made their way down the street toward the car, careful not to get too close to the alleys when they saw a rather poorly dressed Angel around, a black leather jacket over what looked to be a mixture of clothes and part of his Halloween costume.

The new human swaggered toward the three, something in Xander not liking a certain something about the Irishman.

"Hey Angel," Xander greeted as he held the door for the girls to start getting in, "What happened to your clothes? IS Buffy okay?"

"Well, as far as I know she is," the individual in front of them shrugged, "Just thought I'd find a bite to eat before headin' home."

"Cool," Xander replied as Willow got into the vehicle, Cordelia preparing to follow, "Let me know if you need help with anything."

The young man let his hand just brush the coat out of the way and let it find one of his Colts just out of Angel's view.

"Well, now that ya mention it," the 'man' smirked, and moved fast but not with vamiric speed toward Xander, "You could—"

A shot rang out as Angelus was just throwing a fist at Xander, taking the demon in the right side. A large painful hole opened, though with the yellowish eyes shining, no mercy could be shone to Buffy's boyfriend. The punch thrown by Angelus barely glanced off Xander's jaw, most of the force taken out by the first shot. Xander fired again, this time due to the press of flesh, taking the demon in the lower gut and male area.

The scream of pain and rage shattered the night, Angelus knocking the gun aside as he got to his feet. Xander hit him in the face once and grabbed at the jacket collar from behind, but Angel chose to squirm out of the coat and race into the darkness to recover from what were usually nuisance wounds at best.

By the time people meekly investigated, Alexander Harris had recached his weapon and started up the car.

"We need to talk to Giles right away, Xander," Cordelia directed as Willow looked out in shock where 'Angel' had disappeared, "We need to make sure Buffy's okay."

An hour later a confused Buffy entered the library, an unwounded Angel at her side. Willow and Cordelia picked up crosses and crossbows as Xander drew both Colts and aimed them at the man.

"Xander! Put the guns down!" Buffy exclaimed, hands out, "Why are you pointing them at Angel?"

"Ask him what he was up to in front of the Bronze an hour ago, and just step away, Buff."

Willow and Cordelia inched to the right in an attempt to flank the Slayer as Jenny and Rupert remained neutral for the moment.

"He was with me the entire time guys, so what's the deal here?"

"An hour ago?" Cordelia asked, "Because we saw Angel acting like a demony human that Xander had to shoot twice."

"What!" the human Angel exclaimed in surprise, "It wasn't me, really, I was with Buffy."

"I-I think we should all sit down and regain our calm," Giles stressed, "And try to determine what exactly is going on. Now, I assume, Angel, the clothes you're wearing are the ones you've worn all night?"

"Yes they are, and no blood on them."

"A-and Xander, I believe you described Angel's clothes as looking like those from Halloween, mixed with some other pieces?"

"Yeah, with this jacket here," the young man replied, holding up Nikki Wood's jacket taken by Spike as a trophy, "I'm amazed that I missed putting a hole in it."

Angel looked surprised to see it, and leaned over to make sure, smelling it, "This was Spike's, I can still smell him on it."

"Eww!" Cordelia and Willow chorused.

"Spike's, huh?" Xander considered quietly, "I guess I have a trophy unless the Watcher's Council wants to buy it from me?"

"I'll check and see," Rupert Giles grimaced, "You never know. Could it have been Spike, perhaps with a glamour spell to make him look like Angel?"

"I don't think so," Xander squinted in recollection, "They have different builds and style. Angel's heavier. And the scream wasn't sounding like Spike should have."

"So how would we get an evil Angel and a good Angel, Giles?" Cordelia asked, "And why would the loser one still be wearing Halloween clothes?"

"I-I don't know…"

"What about those weird demons on Halloween?" Willow asked, you know, "the ones that shot Angel with the flashy thing after the other ones got goo on you?"

"Hey, yeah," Buffy smiled, "We took Angel and changed him out of the clothes after that and tossed them; they were seriously of the yuck."

"And not of the disturbing Three Stooges kind either," Xander added.

Three hours later and the Scooby Gang had tiredly but definitely identified the demons involved, which proved fascinating to Giles and Jenny.

"Well, it appears that Toth was the demon, and he used a device called the ferula-gemina to split Buffy, his target, in two."

"Wouldn't two Slayers kick his ass faster?" Cordelia asked, looking up from where she was giving Willow another makeover and instruction session.

"In this case, no," the librarian enthused, "it would split her into Slayer and human, and if you kill one, you kill both."

"So we ended up with two Angels instead?" Buffy asked, "But why isn't the evil one a dead vampire guy?"

"Ah," Jenny interjected, nicely mimicking her boyfriend, "The demons that were brought along to do the killing were Mohra demons, whose blood seems to regenerate extremely quickly. Buffy, Angel, I believe you said that a bunch of it got into Angel via a wound?"

"Yeah, at first it looked bad," Buffy nodded, "but that's when the Ethan spell ended and we pulled Angel from the garbage pile."

"M-My guess would be that if you had stayed a moment longer, you would have encountered Angelus in his also-healed human form, regenerated because of the Mohra blood."

"So how do we get rid of the demon without offing Angel, here," Xander asked, "Because we can't let that bastard run loose for another hundred years."

"Exorcism," Jenny suggested, "How about we get ready for an exorcism, then when we've cast the spell restoring one Angel, we can cast out the demon?"

"Hmm, yes," Giles nodded in agreement and no little affection, "since both bodies are currently alive, w-we should get one human body with a soul and a demon."

"Guys," Willow spoke up, "Do we have to go after Angelus and be in the same spot? Or is there a way that our Angel is the restored one? Cause we might need to get Angel to the hospital; those gunshot wounds were serious and we don't know if there's vampire healing going on."

"An excellent point, but as we have the jacket, I'm sure if we do a locator spell, we'll know where Spike, and presumably Angelus, lurk. So let's gather the spell ingredients and prepare for a fight. Angel, you'll have to stay back as your accidental death would defeat the purpose of going."

It was four in the morning when a hot-wired step van slammed through the doors of the warehouse, four minions crushed into dust beneath the wheels and the doors pressed atop them, crushing skulls. Scoobies raced out the sound of a pair of Colts tore the silence of night as the screams of the vampires signaled a surprise victory as the shots caused enough trauma to allow the slayer to finish off the stunned twelve in only twenty more seconds.

Two crossbow bolts launched at Drusilla instead were deflected in the first case, or passed through the hand of Spike in the second case. The vampire screamed with rage and pulled his paramour from the room toward escape as the blood-covered Angelus seemed to verge on death but had a drained dog next to him, obviously an attempt to feed and regenerate partially successful.

The Slayer moved in and thumped the bastard in the forehead, knocking him completely out. Xander stepped forward with a big knife, causing Buffy's eyes to widen in shock.

"Relax, Buff, I'm cutting the nasty clothes off him. I refuse to dress him, however, but am hoping he wakes up in Angel's clothes and not just naked."

"Thank you, Xander," Angel responded, "I appreciate that. Okay everybody, what do I do?"

"W-well, Jenny is drawing the circle and symbols, and after that, we'll set you next to each other, and she'll end the spell. And then we'll take you to the hospital for a checkup, just to make sure."

Five minutes go by, they move the two look-alikes together, and Jenny ends the spell.

"Let the spell be ended."

Angel waited a moment, looked around, and discovered a single human self was he; and clothes were a definite bonus, "I'm alive. I hurt where Xander shot me, but I'm alive."

"Wow," Cordelia said to Willow, "Do you think that was too simple?"

She received a nod from Willow as a response, as they went home for a few hours of sleep before school would start.


End file.
